Monash University appoints Professor Erik L’Heureux as new Head of Department, Architecture

Professor Erik L’Heureux has been appointed as the new Head of Department, Architecture at Monash University.

Monash is a modern, global, research-intensive university, delivering education and research excellence. They are addressing today's global challenges – whether that is by mitigating climate change, easing geopolitical insecurity, or fostering healthy communities.

Monash Art, Design and Architecture (MADA) is ranked in the Top 1% in the world for Art, Design and Architecture. MADA is an open, connected community of creative thinkers, makers and professional practitioners who believe in the transformative power of creativity to address challenges like climate change, social inequality, and resource scarcity. They demonstrate how art, design, and architecture can drive meaningful change.

Society collaborated with MADA on appointing the Head of Architecture. We conducted a global search to identify suitable candidates capable of exercising significant strategic and operational leadership, fostering excellence in research, education and engagement for the discipline, within the University and within the wider community of industry and practice.

Professor L’Heureux joins Monash from the National University of Singapore (NUS), where he was Dean’s Chair Associate Professor and served as Vice Dean and Architecture Program Director. An internationally recognised leader for his innovative integration of climate-responsive design, cultural research, and practice, Professor L’Heureux’s pioneering ‘Architecture of Equatorial Envelopes’ tackles the urgent challenges of a warming world with sustainable, impactful solutions for the equatorial region. His distinguished career is recognized by the Wheelwright Prize and his induction as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

With a specialisation in net-zero energy and adaptive reuse uniquely tailored for equatorial climates, Professor L’Heureux has spearheaded award-winning and transformative projects such as the NetZero adaptive reuse of the Department of Architecture and the NetZero Yusof Ishak House on the NUS campus. Furthermore, his research delves into the crucial connections between architecture, urban environments, climate dynamics, and atmospheric conditions in diverse equatorial regions like Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Ghana, and Brazil.

Reflecting on the experience, Professor L’Heureux shared:
“Working with Salma and the team at Society was both smooth and productive. I initially reached out to explore the alignment and potential of the role, and was encouraged by the clarity of its aspirations and ambitions. That transparency opened the door to meaningful conversations with Monash University, ultimately leading to a successful appointment. Throughout, Society remained a thoughtful and responsive partner, helping to navigate each step of the process.”

Professor L’Heureux added:
“I’m thrilled to join Monash University as Head of the Department of Architecture and Professor. I look forward to working with a dynamic community of students and colleagues to address urgent challenges in the built environment, while anticipating the demands of our rapidly evolving future. The department has a strong legacy of impact, and I’m excited to help co-create and co-lead its next chapter—both within Australia and across the Indo-Pacific region. I’m also eager to further and amplify Monash’s international impact while continuing my research on equatorial urbanization and architecture calibrated for a warming world.

This is an exciting and dynamic moment for architectural research and education—both regionally and globally—and being at Monash feels like being in precisely the right place at exactly the right time.”

Society wishes Professor L’Heureux all the very best in his new role.